Power-transmitting mechanism.



G. BLUEIVIEL. POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM. APPLlcATloN FILEooEc. 22. 1915.

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' eus'rnvi: BLU-Jenni., orT'oLEno,

M OHIO, lASSIGNOIEI, OF ONE-HALF T0 WILLIM. S'

SON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POWER-TRANSMITTING- MECHANISM.

meedeed..

To all 'whom ,it may concern.'

.Be it known that I, GUsTAvn BL'UEMEL, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Toledo, in the county o f Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new,

and useful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Mechanism, of which the yfollowingl is a specification.

his invention relates in general to a power transmitting mechanism `and vmore particularly to a maximum torque clutch.

One of the diiiiculties attendant upon the use of internal combustion engines is that this form of prime mover is incapable of taking an overload so that when conditions are met which produce an overload the engine is immediately and helplessly stalled. It is the principal object of my invention to provide a power transmitting mechanism adapted for use between an internal combustion engine and the load to which the power is applied, whereby when overload conditions arise the engine is allowed to continue in operation at its normal rate of speed and Ato transmit the full torque to the load.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as it is-better understood by reference to the following speciiication when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, `illustrating the preferred embodlment thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the mechanism according to my 1nvenh'on;

Fig. 2is a vertical sectronon the line 2 2 of Fig.- 1, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of F1 1.

Reerring to the drawing, 1 and 2 indicate bearings which may be supported 1n any suitable manner, as for example on a base 3. Rotatably mounted in the bearing 1 is a sleeve 4, provided at one extremlty with a flange 5 and threaded internally at 6 to receive a correspondingly threaded thrust member 7 having at one extremity i 8. A hollow member 9, provided with anges 10 and 11, is mounted coaxlally with the member 7, the Hanges 8 and 10 being secured together in any suitable manner. The torsion spring 12 is disposed about the member 9 with its opposite ends in operative engagement with the flanges 5 and` 11. A driving f t 13 is keyed to an extension Specification of Letters Patent. Application led December 22, 1915. Serial No.

-nected in any suitable 'bers 7 and 9 a dange A Patented July 17, 1917. 68,159.

14 of the member 9 and may be connected to an internal combustion engine (not shown) 1n any desirable manner.

Rotatably mounted in the bearing 2 is a hollow member 14 having a flange 15 at one end thereof to which is. secured a flange 16 of the driven shaft 17, which may be conmanner to the load to which the power is'applied. The member 14 1s enlarged at 18 and provided with a plurality of cylinders 19 projecting from its periphery, the outer ends of the cylinders 19 being closed by plugs 20 threadedly secured therein. From the interior of each of the cylinders 19 a duct 21 leads to the interior of the member 14, the ends of the ducts 21 being, however, normally closedfby a cylindrical slide valve 22 having ports 23 1n lts outer shell, whereby, when the slide valve is moved to a position wherein its ports 23 register with the ends of the ducts 21, Huid, which partially lills the cylinders 19 and the ducts 21, may circulate between the cylinders 19. A hollow shaft 24 eX- tends into the sleeve 4 and is operatively connected thereto by a pin 25. A portion of the hollow shaft 24 projects into the chamber formed by the. enlarged portion 18 of the member 14 and is eccentric lto its axis, as indicated at 26. plurality ofeccentric sleeves 27 surround the eccentric portion 26 of the hollow shaft 24 and a connected to each of the sleeves 27, the plungers 28 being disposed in the cylinders plunger 28 is 19-.so that, if the eccentric portion 26 rotates` 28 eciprocated in their respective cylinders 19.'

The slide valve arod 29slidably shaft 24 and the memb r 7, the opposite end of the rod 29 being connected to the mem- I at the junction thereof by means of a pair of sleeves 30 and 31 between which are disposed b'all bearings 32. This arrangement allows the members 7' and 9 to rotate without rotating the rod 29 but insures the longitudinal movement of the rod 29, when the members 7 and 9'are moved in a direc- 22 is secured to one end of t1on longitudinally thereof, inA a manner f presently to be described.

Normally, when'the shaft 13 is caused toI rotate in Fig.. 1 by the application of power from mounted within the hollow the direction of the arrow in that hence the fluid in the cylinders 19 can i 17 and the las with respect to not circulate between the respective cylinders throughV the ducts 21. Should an overload be applied to the shaft 17 there will be an immediate tendency to retard the shaft member 14 and consequently the member 9, which is connected to the engine, will rotate in the direction of the arrow the sleeve 4 which, as previously explained, is connected to the member 14 through the medium of the plungers 28 and the liuid contained within the cylinders 19 and the ducts 21. The member 7, because of. its threaded connection to the sleeve 4, will immediately move to the left, viewing Fig. 1, carrying with it the rod 29 and the slide valve 22 until the ports 23 register with the ends of the ducts 21, whereupon circulation of the fluid between the cylinders 19 will commence .and thus allow the lshaft 13 to'continue to rotate at the required speed to maintain the torque of the engine w 'le the shaft 17 is rotated at a lower rate of speed but with the full torque of the engine. If the overload is such that the shaft 17 can not rotate, the slide valve 22 will move to a position wherein the ends of the ducts 21 are entirely uncovered, but otherwise the slide valve 22 will so position itself that the difference between the speeds of rotation of the shafts 13 and 17 is exactly balanced by the slip allowed by the circulation of the fluid between the cylinders 19. The function of the sprin 12 is obviously to allow a diiferent rate o rotation between the sleeve 4 and the member 9 until the slide valve 22 hasmoved to such a position as to allow circulation of the iiuid between the cylinders 19, the spring 12 bein tensioned during this phase of the operation. The thread 6 on the sleeve 4 and the member 7 is preferably of a multipie pitch to insure rapid action of the slide valve 22.

In order that the device may be employed without an additional clutch in starting the engine I provide a ianged member 33 connected to the extension 14 of the member 9 by' means of a pair of collars 34 and 35, between which are ball bearings 36. The threads 6 on the sleeve 4 and member 7 are preferably of a multiple pitch or, in other words, of the well-known spiral form, so that by means of connections 37 the member 9 may be manually moved longitudinally position the port 23 opposite the ends of the ducts 21, thus freeing the engine from the load. When the connections 37 are re- .mechanism also serving as a leased the spring 12 will. cause the slide valve 22 to close the ends of the ducts 21 so that power is transmitted to the shaft 17.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing that I have perfected a means whereby the stalling of lnternal combustion engines owing to the application of overloads thereto is eifectually prevented, the

clutch to free the engine before starting. By the use of the maximum torque clutch described it is possible to employ internal combustion engines formany pur oses for which they have not heretofore lbeen adapted, my invention 'overcoming the principal disability of prime movers of this-type.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made 1n the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of lts material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a/preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a drivenshaft, an intermediate rotatable element, resilient means connecting said drivin shaft and intermediate element, normal y inoperative fluid pressure means connecting said intermediate element and driven shaft, a thrust member in said intermediate element, a valve controlling said iuid pressure means, and means engaging said thrust member, connected to said valve and to said driving shaft and automatically operative, after said resilient means has permitted differential rotation of said thrust member and the means engaging therewith, to operate said valve and thereby permit said iuid pressure means to operate whereby said driving and driven shafts rotate at different an ar speeds. 4

2. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a dr'ving shaft, a driven shaft, an intermediate rotatable element, resilient means connecting said driving shaft and intermediate element, normally inoperative fluid pressure means connecting said inter- -mediate element and driven shaft including a plurality of radially disposed cylinders each provided with a duct leadin therefrom, plungers on said intermediate element to actuate said plun ers, a thrust member in said intermediate ve ement, a valve controlling said ducts, and means engaging said thrust member, connected to said valve and to said drivin shaft and automatically operative, after sai resilient means has permitted differential rotation of said thrust member and the means engaging therewith, to operate said valve, and connect said ducts thereb permitting said plungers to operate where in said cylinders an meansy said drivtion between sai including a memb and allow said naanoo? in and driven shafts rotate at'did'erent angar speeds. f

3. A power transmitting mechanism, com- `prising a driving shaft, a driven shaft, and a driving connection therebetween, whereby said driven shaft is normally actuated by said driving shaft, said drivin connection er operative y connected to said driven shaft plurality of radially disposed, and Huidcontaimng cylinders, each having a duct leading therefrom, plungers in said cylinders, means for actuating said plungers, an internally threaded sleeve connected to said plunger-actuatin means, a resilient connecd driving shaft and sleeve, a valve to normally prevent communication d thereby render Said plungers mactive a gaging the threa s of nectedto said` drivin shaft anda connection between saidvt eade member and valve, Whereby-'thelatter maybe moved to establish' communication between said ducts plungers to operate. v

,l 4f. A power transmitting mechanism, comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft, and a driving connection therebetween, whereby said drivin and driven shafts are normally rotated at t e same aar speed, said driv- 'ing connection inclu l l a member operatively connected to sai driven shaft and provided vwith a plurality of radially disposedand Huid-containing cylinders, each having a duct leading therefrom, plungers said sleeve and conand provided with av pressure means connecting in said cylinders, eccentric means for` aetnating said plungers, an internally threaded sleeve connected to said eccentric means, a torsion spring connecting said driving shaft and sleeve, a valve to normally prevent coinmunication between said ducts and thereby render said pungers inactive, a 'threaded said sleeve lcally moved to establish communication betatably connecting said driving and intermediate elements, normally inoperative Huid said intermediate and driven elements, a thrust member on said intermediate element, and-means connected to said driving el ement, engaging said thrust member and automatically operative /after said resilient means has permitted relative movement of said driving and intermediate elements toV allow said Huid pressure vmeans to operate, thereby permitting rotary movement of said driving element relative to said driven element.

GUSTAVlE VBlallllmll'a Witnesses: i ELIZABETH M. Smnorn,

EETH A. Komm. 

